This page may contain affiliate links. This means I may get a small commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you.
One of the challenges of baking a great madeleine lies in getting the iconic bump. Here are my tips for getting a perfect bump every time.
What is a madeleine?
A madeleine is a French pastry traditionally baked in a shell-shaped mold. It is made from a batter containing butter, sugar, eggs, and flour and is known for its moist, tender crumb.
Nothing can compare to a madeleine that’s fresh from the oven!
Why does a madeleine bump matter?
The madeleine bump is signature to the pastry, and is quite iconic. A bump indicates that the pastry is properly leavened with a light and tender crumb. It also means that the edges are crispy while the middle is soft.
I have made madeleines with a flat or almost nonexistent bump and they are still quite tasty. However, I think it’s worth trying to achieve the bump not only to display mastery, but also to improve your overall pastry knowledge.
What causes the madeleine bump to form?
The madeleine bump forms due to a few different variables.
- The shell shape of the mold – Madeleines are traditionally baked in shell-shaped molds, and the concave, shallow shape directs the batter upwards as the pastries bake. The edges of the pan are more shallow, so the batter sets and firms up while the center remains more liquid. As the batter expands, it’s pushed upwards and helps create the signature bump.
- Resting and chilling the batter – Resting the madeleine batter overnight helps the gluten and baking powder to relax. It also helps the batter get very cold, which creates more of a temperature differential when the pastries enter the oven. This temperature differential helps the batter expand rapidly before the surface of the madeleine sets.
- Temperature shock during baking – Baking madeleines at a very high initial temperature provides a further temperature differential, helping the batter to expand and rise.
- Proper leavening – Aerated eggs or chemical leavening agents such as baking soda or baking powder are key to getting a good rise when the batter is exposed to heat.
- Batter composition – The batter composition will affect the rise of the madeleine. This includes factors such as moisture content, fat content, and the type of sweetener used.
All of these variables can be adjusted to achieve the desired madeleine bump. Let’s dive into each one in more detail.
How to choose the right madeleine mold
The madeleine mold is important to achieving the signature bump. You don’t need the most expensive or fanciest mold, but there are certain factors to consider.
- The shape – I recommend getting a madeleine mold in the traditional shell shape rather than using something like a muffin tin. The shell shape is not only signature for a madeleine, but also helps achieve the bump.
- The material – You can commonly find madeleine molds made of metal or silicone. I strongly recommend metal, because it conducts heat well and is cheaper than the silicone molds that do have good heat conducting properties. Heat conduction is important to achieve a strong initial temperature during baking.
Here is the mold that I currently use: Gobel Madeleine Pan
Why resting and chilling batter is important for baking madeleines
I have seen some recipes recommend chilling madeleine for no more than 30 min to an hour. In my experience, chilling the batter for at least 12 hours is key to achieving a signature bump, tender crumb, and complex flavor. Resting and chilling the batter:
- Helps the gluten relax
- Hydrates the flour and baking powder
- Drops the temperature of the batter
- Solidifies the butter in the batter
These factors all lead to a better rise in the oven
Why a temperature shock during baking helps achieve a madeleine bump
The one thing that made the largest difference for me when making madeleines was the temperature shock at the beginning of baking. Essentially, you want to hit very cold batter with a high burst of heat.
The heat from the oven causes the batter to expand, and the cold batter prevents the top from setting too quickly, which limits the rise. This balance of temperatures combined with the shape of the mold forces the batter to rise in the middle, creating a bump.
Here are my tips on using temperature to achieve a madeleine bump:
- I like to start my madeleine baking at a high heat (400 – 425F), then drop 50F after the bump starts to form. Dropping the temperature ensures that the inside of the madeleine is cooked through without the edges burning. The ideal temperature will vary depending on the size of your mold and your oven
- Place the madeleine mold directly on the wire rack of the oven. Do not place the mold on a tray, then place the tray on the oven. This prevents heat from reaching the mold.
- Place the madeleine mold in part of your oven that has good distribution of heat. For me, this is towards the bottom of the oven since that’s where the heating coils are. For others, it could be the middle or top of the oven. Experimentation and an oven thermometer will help you figure out the best place to put the mold
How leavening affects the madeleine bump
To achieve a rise, you need to introduce air into the batter. This can either be done by beating eggs until they become light and fluffy, or by using a chemical leavener such as baking soda or baking powder. My preferred method is using baking powder, and in my experience if you are using the right amount of chemical leavener, you do not need to aerate the eggs.
Both fluffy eggs and chemical leaveners react to heat, which causes air bubbles to expand during baking.
Here are my tips for leaveners:
- If using eggs as the primary leavener, make sure to whisk until they are light and fluffy. When folding in the dry ingredients, make sure to fold gently so you don’t squish out the air.
- If using a chemical leavener, make sure not to use too much. While it may seem like you can add more baking powder or soda to create a larger bump, at a certain point it becomes counter-productive. Too much baking powder or soda can lead to over expansion and then collapse. It can also lead to a bitter taste.
- Sift any leaveners into the flour to ensure that they are evenly distributed
How batter composition affects the madeleine bump
The most basic madeleine recipes use eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and salt. You can adjust the ratios or add ingredients to get the desired bump and texture.
If you’re a beginner, I recommend finding a tried and true madeleine recipe on the Internet or in a cookbook. If you’re keen to experiment with different ratios, here are some ingredient tradeoffs I’ve observed while experimenting with madeleine recipes:
Moisture content
In general, moisture content is important to achieving the bump because a moist batter leads to steam in the oven, which evaporates and causes the batter to expand. A more moist batter also prevents the top of the madeleine from drying out too quickly.
However, if the batter is too moist, it will lack structure and will not be able to rise appropriately.
Moisture is introduced by eggs, butter, and sometimes milk.
Fat content
Fat is important to create the distinctive tender crumb and buttery taste of a madeleine. However, too much fat weighs down the batter and leads to a smaller rise and more spreading. The fat in madeleines is primarily from melted butter.
Type of sweetener
While the most basic madeleine recipe uses granulated sugar, many recipes will also use inverted sugar or honey. Inverted sugar and honey both help trap moisture, leading to an extra moist and tender madeleine. However, I find that the more sugar you swap out for honey, the less pronounced bump you will get.